Through to my heart
by Vixen-of-Earth
Summary: Summary inside. Pairings: Raixkim others will be revealed later. Rating may change later.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Raimundo needs some cash so he plans to get some through Kimiko. What he doesn't know is the consequences should his plan backfire.

**Through to my heart**

"Man it sucks having no dough." Raimundo said to noone in particular. The heavy boulder he carried forcing him to wobble as he walked. Finally he reached his destination and he carefully put the rock down placing his hand on his back. He turned resting backwards against the boulder mind wandering back to its last thought.

There had been various things in the past months that Raimundo had wanted and partially felt he deserved. But he couldn't get anywhere near affording any of them. He couldn't buy anything because he had no money. He had no money because he didn't have a job and he didn't have a job because of the responsibilities to the Xiaolin temple.

After he had become a Shuko warrior and hence leader of the rest of the group of warriors his responsibilities had been increased, now not only did he have to do chores, find shen gong wu and fight bad guys, he had to write rotas for the chores, plan excursions to find the remaining wu and make sure that none of the others got into trouble during the fights. Then again, as a friend he felt that part of his original job anyway.

He looked up into the sun squinting his eyes, just realising how hot it was. With a sigh he peeled off the top of his robe and laid it on the boulder he had just lugged across the lawn. The tanned and recently toned muscles flexed as he stretched .

"EEP!"

Raimundo turned towards one of the temples' buildings and saw the flick of black hair disappear round the corner of one. He straightened up smirking slightly. Kimiko had indeed taking a liking to watching of late especially when he was doing some of his unorthodox training sessions. He ran a hand through his brown hair and turned away knowing that she would be back.

Green eyes wandered back to the sun thinking of the fire element that made it shine, more so of the girl that controlled that very element. Kimiko wasn't the best looking girl that Rai had met let alone seen but she was…unique. She was pretty, a good fighter and she was extremely rich…

Rai suddenly had an idea concerning his money problems, but he pushed it aside. It was unbelievably cruel, not so much in the malicious sense but in the unintentional way. Then he thought of all the things he had wanted of late. The games, the clothes the accessories, much of which he deserved.

Besides wouldn't he be doing Kimiko a favour as well, she had been watching him from afar for so long, why not give her something _she_ wanted. With the same smirk as earlier plastered on his face he stalked off to begin his plan.

Kimiko wrung her hands together, her nerves were beginning to get the better of her again. But her horoscope had said that today must be the day as her _'true love will recognise and return feelings.'_ Not that she really paid much attention to horoscopes in the first place but lately they seemed to relate all the much more to her situation with Raimundo.

It had been just under a year that Raimundo had been promoted to Shuko warrior and the sixteen year old had made so much more of an impression on her heart. When they had first arrived at the temple to become monks she had found his joking and manner very annoying but as time went on she found herself attracted to him. Brushing it off as a crush at first she carried on as normal but when the crush refused to leave she feared it had become something else.

It had taken Raimundo to become part of the haylin side to realise that her suspicions were correct. She was deeply in love and her heart broke to see him betray them all as he had done.

Pulling her mind out of the reverie she headed back down the corridor towards the sleeping quarters. They had been upgraded to their own rooms rather than the poor excuses for bedrooms they had before, especially since Kimiko was beginning to develop into the woman she would become at a much faster race now. Though it was only to be expected at the age of fifteen. She passed Omi's and Clay's room thinking only briefly of the other two dragons before focusing her attention on Raimundo's door.

'How ironic that our bedrooms are right next door to each other but we are so far apart.'

Her whole mind was on the door that separated her from the one she wanted so much it hurt that she didn't notice that the door didn't separate them at all.

"Kim?"

Kimiko jumped and spun around heart beating at an overwhelming rate. Her china blue eyes connecting with a pair of green ones.

"RAI! How many times have I told you not to…" The sentence trailed off as Kimiko's eyes widened slightly. Raimundo's chest was completely exposed as it was earlier, though now it glistened with water, wet hair clung to his forehead and a towel was wrapped round his waist.

Her eyes roved his body and dipped to where the towel was wrapped wondering what lay beneath. She blushed crimson at the thought and forced her eyes back upto his face to find him grinning.

"And may I ask what you are doing outside my room?"

Kimiko forced her cheeks to puff out. "Not anything to do with you." She crossed her arms and turned sideways trying desperately not to look at him.

"Really." Kimiko nodded not noticing the slight twist of sarcasm in the voice. "So I suppose you spying on me this morning also had nothing to do with me."

Kimiko breath stopped. He had seen her. How could she have been so careless. She felt something push her side and she wheeled sideways into the wall. She twisted so her back hit it and as she was about to push off and give Raimundo a good telling off she found him only inches from her face, his left hand resting on the wall next to her head. She stopped breathing completely, her heart beat frantically in her chest. She could feel the heat of his body though she wasn't actually touching him.

"You know Kim, I was just thinking," he leaned in slightly closer. "maybe you and I should go out sometime. Just the two of us."

Kimiko breathed in harshly making note of the face coming ever closer to hers. The blush in her cheeks rose to the rest of her face. She noticed the water trickling down his forehead to add to that on his chest.

Raimundo smiled inwardly, 'God she looks so beautiful when she's like this.' The smile in his mind disappeared replaced by a frown. Where did that thought come from? This isn't going to be a long time relationship, first of all he didn't love her and he was certain that all she felt was a simple crush, once it was out of her system they would go back to being just friends and partners, of course, he would get a few extras in his room, Christmas wasn't that far away.

Stilll he couldn't help but notice her glossy black hair tied in a single ponytail, nor the slight curvature of her body signifying the beginning's of womanhood. She had grown though and her legs certainly looked longer. He let his left hand reach forward and brush back some invisible hair, touching her cheek in the process. It felt soft beneath his fingers though hot to the touch. He trailed them down and lifted her chin slightly.

"So what do you say?"

Kimiko had felt his silky fingers brush her cheek and had shivered slightly looking down in the process, but when he lifted her face she felt herself get lost in his forest green eyes. His deep voice made her feel slightly weak at the knees, it was such a comparison to the slightly squeakier voice when he was but two years younger.

The question rang through her mind like a gong and it must have been at least two minutes before she had gathered herself enough for an answer. But as her pink lips opened they were disturbed…

"Ha ha Clay you are so funny, you make me laugh like a monkey."

"Donkey." Came Clay's much deeper voice.

"Like both my friend."

The other two dragons came round the corner to see their compadres still frozen in the positions beforehand. Everyone and thing seemed to stop as the pairs glanced at each other.

Finally Raimundo stepped back allowing the heavily blushing Kimiko to run into her room. Omi looked puzzled his head tilted to the side but Clay… Clay seemed to be shaking somewhat.

Raimundo shrugged his shoulders and began to step into his room until a heavy set hand pulled him back out and away from his room. Clay dragged Raimundo into his room leaving a still confused Omi looking after them.

Raimundo clutched the towel to himself though Clay was another guy he had no wishes for him to see him totally in the nude. Clay pushed his shoulder harshly into the wall.

"What were you just doing to Kimiko?" He hissed.

Raimundo simply brushed Clay's hand away. "Nothing just talking."

"Didn't look like nothing." Clay spat. Thoughts ran through his head madly, it had looked that maybe Raimundo was about to do something unthinkable.

"What do you think I was going to do? Rape her or force her to do something?" Clay bit his lip not saying anything but letting Raimundo guess that was exactly what he thought. "You did. Well you got it all wrong, I was asking her out on a date."

Clay looked up at him one blue eye showing under the hat. "Really? So why in the towel?"

Raimundo shrugged "I was on my way back from the shower and happened to run into her outside my room."

Clay took in the wet hair and chest. Then thought it was a reasonable explaination but also convenient. Raimundo shook his head angrily.

"Think what you may, but that's all it was. If you don't believe me ask her. But is that what two and a half years of friendship have come to?"

Clay looked taken aback and abashed, he lowered his head. "I believe you Raimundo."

Clay felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at the Brazilian.

"I'm your leader Clay, I wouldn't let anything happen to you guys even if it was my doing. I love you all like family."

"And Kimiko?" Raimundo shrugged once again conveying he didn't really know. Clay accepted this and apologised before letting Raimundo leave his room. As the door clicked Raimundo whistled through his teeth, nothing he had said was a lie really.

As he was about to set off he noticed someone in the corridor, a very small someone. Omi looked up at him with dark eyes, his arms crossed. "So, Raimundo."

"Yes."

Omi leaned forward with a look of great interest. "Were you doing what I think you were doing with Kimiko?"

"Depends what you think we were doing."

"Ha, sooo, you were discussing new fighting techniques." Then Omi's eyes widened as he put on a puppy dog look. "Why would you leave me out of something like that?"

Raimundo groaned letting his hand slap his forehead, he walked past Omi into his room and locked the door. He glanced at the wall separating his and Kimiko's before beginning to dry himself off.


	2. Chapter 2

Slightly shorter chapter than before but It's hard to write really long chapters for these scenes. Thanks for the lovely reviews.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kimiko smiled to herself as she got dressed for the day, she had spent the entire night thinking about Raimundo and what he had asked her. _'…maybe you and I should go out sometime. Just the two of us.'_ She shivered at the words as they replayed in her mind. Finally, Raimundo had noticed her not just as a fellow warrior and a friend, but as a potential girlfriend.

She looked into the mirror of her room and noticed the rising blush on her face. She shook her head and patted her cheeks hoping to coax away the warmth that had seeped there, as the redness faded she reached for her hairbrush to put it up in her normal ponytails. The brush froze on the way up. Why not for today leave it down? The glossy black hair hung just past her shoulder blades and framed her face prettily. She twisted her head watching the hair swing round and settle over one shoulder. 'Besides Rai might like it this way.'

The blush forced its way back into her cheeks and she put the brush down settling for putting a couple of scrunchies over her wrist incase she changed her mind. She spun round gracefully and skipped to the door. As she stepped out she noticed a second figure walking down the corridor to the kitchen. Her heart sped up and she hurriedly shut the door.

"Hey Rai, wait up."

The Brazilian stopped and looked over his shoulder smiling at the girl. Kimiko ran to catch him up, but as she reached her target she slipped on the wooden floor.

She braced herself for impact, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Yet she didn't feel the hard surface, instead there was a strong, warm thing in the small of her back.

"You alright Kim?"

Kimiko opened her eyes, Raimundo held her with a single arm leaning over her slightly. In her mind she saw a scene from a movie she had once seen, where the hero had successfully rescued the damsel in distress and held her in a similar position to kiss her.

Kimiko quickly pushed herself up with her feet flushing profusely. She straightened her robe.

"Thanks Rai."

Raimundo raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should take skating lessons, may stop you from being so clumsy." He grinned as he received a light punch in playfulness. "And I suppose you want me to escort you to breakfast."

Kimiko puffed up her cheeks. "I don't need to be escorted by anyone Pedrosa."

"Well I'll just follow at a short distance, that way I could catch you if you fall again. Maybe, I'll get something more than a thank you for my troubles next time." Kimiko turned away, face burning. The Brazilian stepped closer to her putting a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, the others will be waiting."

He stepped away from her walking slowly in the direction he was heading beforehand.

"Rai…could I talk to you for a second." Kimiko said almost inaudibly. "I don't want the others to hear this." Rai stopped again, facing Kimiko.

"What is it Kim?" He spoke with a soft voice.

"Well, it's about what you said last night. I…I just wanted to say that if you're still interested…" She looked at him expectantly, smiling inwardly as he nodded. "…I'd be happy to go out on a date with you…if that's want you wanted."

She turned away from him, china blue eyes focusing on a small twist in the woodwork on the wall. She felt a hand touch her cheek and her head swung back violently. Green eyes almost smiled at her.

"Love to."

The Japanese girl smiled happily and without a second thought hugged the boy that she had grown so fond of. She buried her face in his shoulder so she didn't see the slight smirk on the boy's face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Clay forked his food up greedily not caring whether it was egg, bacon, beans or hash that he got. He didn't particularly taste the food either, it seemed to wander straight from his plate to his stomach in a continuous motion. Omi seemed to be trying to copy his actions, only resulting in choking and chest hitting. Yet the fork shovelling stopped as the two missing members entered the room, Kimiko looking extremely happy.

Clay looked from her to Raimundo and put two and two together, not wanting to say anything he just continued to eat. Omi however, could never keep his mouth shut.

"Why Kimiko are you so happy this morning? Usually you look like a bull who doesn't want to be cleaned with."

Clay choked on what had entered his throat and hastily began the chest punching routine. Raimundo hurriedly moved away from Kimiko as he saw the familiar look in her eyes. The look that said someone was going to die and even though he was the leader he knew he should never get in the way of the person those eyes was aimed at.

Kimiko cracked her knuckles as she walked up to Omi, who seemed to have realised his mistake.

"I am so sorry…it was 'messed with' wasn't it?"

Before Omi could say or do anything else he had received several hard punches. Kimiko let out a tirade of attack moves not letting Omi get anywhere near a fighting stance. She then picked him up and threw him across the room where Raimundo stood. Raimundo quickly ducked hearing the crack as Omi hit the wall at a fearsome speed.

Omi slid down the wall and landed on his head making a slight hurt noise as it connected with the floor. He rolled over landing on his face and stayed that way. Raimundo looked over at Kimiko who still looked angry and was breathing extremely hard. He walked over and bent down to her eye level.

"So, do you fancy going out tonight?"

Instantly the manic look on her face disappeared replaced by the same happy smile she had walked in with. She nodded then skipped to the table next to the cowering Clay. Raimundo turned back to Omi and shook him awake. The tiny monk looked up exceedingly confused even for him.

"What did I do?"

Raimundo shook his head lifting the boy up and setting him back at the table at the opposite side of Kimiko. That way should she get angry again there were two dragons to get in the way.

He watched her as she poured out some tea and began sipping it. His plan was going great except he felt a small worry in the back of his mind. Kimiko had seemed almost too happy when he had said he would take her out, even for a girl who had a simple crush. He brushed the thought aside thinking that he would ponder on it later, as well as that other confusing thing he had felt when she touched him.

When Master Fung walked in to give them the chores for today Raimundo's uneasiness had wore off and the thoughts were at the back of his mind.


End file.
